I have always have an odd 'right place, right time' connection to vintage finds. I had recently set in my mind that I wanted plastic molded chairs to modernize our traditional Duncan Phyfe dining table. The dining table, a family heirloom, belonged to my husband's Grandma GiGi and from what I've been told it has a lot of good juju and happy memories attached to it! I repainted it black several years ago to disguise some of its battle wounds - cocktail glass water rings and cigarette burns - from its 1960's hey day!
On a recent design consultation, I walked into my client's new home and lo and behold, there were 6 vintage Eero Saarinen Tulip Chairs by Knoll on Park Avenue NY. The seller had left them at the house and I immediately knew that I had to have them. My client has a totally different aesthetic, more Bali Hai than Mid Mod so I made an offer on them and now they have a new home with me! Even the cushions blend perfectly with everything in my home!
I had recently dismantled a couple of areas in the home to create my office space. The dining room was one of those spaces since it was my unofficial office space for several years. We also pillaged my recently transformed She Shed Design Studio so that we could complete India's bedroom makeover AND my office makeover so I definitely had a few gaps to fill in. These chairs were heaven sent! I was able to split up the set of 6 and put 4 around the dining table and then put 2 in the She Shed Design Studio with an existing garden stool et voila!
The Saarinen Tulip Chair was originally designed in 1956, the Tulip Chair was born out of Saarinen's dissatisfaction with what he called the "slum of legs" under most dining tables. The Tulip Chair definitely fixed this problem and also went on to become one of the most recognizable iconic chairs in mid-century modern design.
KEYS TO CURATING IMPERFECTION...
ONE MAN'S TRASH IS ANOTHER MAN'S TREASURE!
I spied these juju hats in my client's garage. She was getting ready to donate them before her move. I was happy to take them off of her hands! I adore juju hats! The blue one is almost 3' in diameter! It's HUGE and I love it! More is more for this maximalist!
MIX DON'T MATCH
Back in the 90's I used to work in a block of artists lofts. Paul Gaunt was one of the artists that lived next door to us and he had painted the two street scenes from his home state of Maine. I have put these art pieces in so many different scenarios over the years. For now there at right at home leaning against a painting done by me, some large scale tribal vases and juju hats!
BUY FIRST, THINK LATER
If you constantly purchase things that you like and that speak to you, they will always work in your home. The fact that you love it, is the commonality. I've been doing this so long that my body will tell me when I need to buy something. I got the full body goosebumps when these chairs crossed my path. I have never in my career made an offer on a client's furnishings before, in fact, I try to stay away from acquiring that way but these, I could not stop thinking about and there is one thing that I know to be true when it comes to vintage finds - you only regret what you don't buy!
Time to settle in and enjoy a nice cuppa' tea!
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